This is the best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe. Make this easy buttercream frosting recipe and you’ll never want cake without vanilla buttercream again. Or eat it with spoons.
We love using this vanilla frosting recipe on all sorts of cookies and cakes, but my absolute favorite is on top of these perfect sugar cookies!
You guys have to make this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe.
The end.
Okay, not really.
But yes. Really.
So this is a frosting recipe that I first made for these adorable sheep cupcakes. And I made it again for Piper’s cake smash. But it is seriously so ridiculously good that I feel like it deserved it’s own post.
So ironically, my sister in law sent me a text message the day before the sheep post went live and asked me if I had a good vanilla frosting recipe. And I said, “Funny you should ask . . . ” A few weeks later I got this message from her:
“I LOVE it! It makes boxed cake mixes taste like they were made in a bakery. It puts homemade cakes off the charts!”
I love her.
If that testimonial wasn’t enough, yesterday while I was photographing this cake, Gavin asked me if he could have a piece when I was done. Who am I to say no to that cute face? Gavin historically loves cake but doesn’t like frosting at all. Which is just crazy, but kind of awesome because I always get his left over buttercream frosting at birthday parties. #dontjudge
Well, I walked back into the kitchen after giving him some cake and he was eating the frosting!! I said, “Gavin! I thought you didn’t like frosting!”
“I don’t. But, Mom. This vanilla frosting is AMAZING!!”
#truestory
RECIPE NOTES FOR THE BEST VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:
- One batch of this vanilla buttercream frosting recipe is enough to lightly cover 24 cupcakes. I needed to double it to frost a three layer cake, with 1/2 cup frosting between each layer and a nice crumb coat.
- This frosting firms up rather quickly, so if you are going to top with sprinkles, you will want to frost your cupcake add the sprinkles, and then move on to the next cupcake you need to frost.
- If you don’t like your frosting as sweet, you can cut back the powdered sugar by a cup. It will result in a less sweet and also less firm frosting.
The Best Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- To make frosting, beat the butter until fluffy.
- Then add the powdered sugar gradually, one cup at a time.
- Add in the vanilla and milk.
Priyanka tency says
Good so i like it
Liyla says
Hello
I want to make this a strawberry frosting. Can I add 1/4 cup strawberry puree and if it will be too watery I will add more icing sugar (???) And I want to use this to frost a cake and put fondant on it. Do you think it will work? and will the frosting be too soft is it good for fondant? How much icing sugar should I add to make it fluffy.
Thanka
I’m sorry Liyla, there’s a lot there. If I was going to make this frosting into a strawberry frosting, I would try adding about that much strawberry puree. That said, I haven’t tried it so I can’t say that it would work. Additionally, I haven’t used this recipe with fondant so I can’t tell you if it will work or not.
Jeanie says
Hi, thanks for posting this recipe! Do you think the consistency would be affected by a little food coloring? My friend loves vanilla buttercream frosting, and also loves pink. So I’m thinking of throwing a teensy bit of red food coloring in. Thanks!
This frosting colors really well!
Katie says
If I were to use this recipe for a “top your own cupcake” event where frosting is the only topping, would you suggest I transfer the frosting to piping bags, or keeping it in a container? I prefer piping personally, but I don’t know if it would harden in the tip if it isn’t used the entire time. Thank you for any help!
I would put it in piping bags. It will likely harden in the tip a little bit, but you could just advise people to pipe out that little bit at the end before decorating with it.
Deana says
Just made this frosting, it’s by far one of the best I’ve come across. I took your advice and I only used 4 cups of powdered sugar so it’s not that sweet and it is still thick enough to pipe on cupcakes. I will be using this all the time, Thank you!!!
I’m so happy you liked it Deana.
Caitlyn says
Hi, I’m wondering if this frosting would be good for a basketball design, a baseball design and a soccer ball design on sugar cookies? I need something that hardens well.
This hardens very well! I would just make sure you frost a cookie and then decorate it before moving on to the next cookie because it hardens fast. It will get squished though, so don’t stack them.
Michele says
This is my go-to vanilla buttercream. It holds up well, tastes delicious, and even takes color well. It worked perfectly for rainbow cupcakes. Thanks for a great recipe! This is one of the only recipes I don’t make changes to.
Ella says
Thank you for the recipe! I used the wrong kind of sugar so it ended up a bit crunchy, but that didn’t stop my dad from razing with the cake or my mom (a notorious frosting hater) from eating it in a piece or two. And if that’s how it tastes with a strange texture, I doubt I’ll have leftover cake when I make it right!
I’m so happy you liked it!
Amy says
Sounds amazing!!! So happy I searched and found ur recipe!..Cupcakes are cooling now. Off to make this frosting!….Stay tuned!!!..:-)
Quick question, if I frost them tonight to bring to work tomorrow will the frosting hold out okay?..I will refrigerate them.
Yup, it should be fine!
Julia says
will there be enough buttercream to cover a 2 layered 7 inch cake with this recipe ? :)
I would double the recipe.
dacquiri m graff says
Hi, I just made your cream cheese frosting and your vanilla butter cream frosting..both turned out perfect. The butter cream was beautiful!
I’m so happy to hear that!